Author
Topic: Family Band?! (Read 6790 times)

Are you going to see them at Christmas? If so, maybe you can talk mom into putting off this adventure until then. Sis will have had some time to learn a few basics on the guitar ... if she can learn three simple chords, she can strum her way through a whole bunch of songs. ("Silent Night" only has three chords.) The hardest part is learning to change chords smoothly, but that just takes a little practice.

Then see if you can talk her into making it a mini-talent show instead of a big production, with nobody being recorded who doesn't want to be, and nobody being forced to participate at who doesn't want to.

I would get a bunch of kazoos and bring them with me. I think anyone can play a kazoo, can't they? If everyone brought funny hats or Groucho masks (eyebrows, glasses, nose and mustache) it would make a fun family portrait. If your husband doesn't want to be the vocalist can you just let your mom know ahead of time, so there is no embarrassment at the party?

We always had a family band at our celebrations, but really more like a family singing group since only a couple of people would play the guitars and everyone else would sing (together). We grew up singing so we knew about a million songs. I don't know what we would have done if we had to learn an instrument and some songs that day. It probably would have been very weird and funny and make for great memories, though.

« Last Edit: November 24, 2013, 03:12:07 PM by Bijou »

Logged

I've never knitted anything I could recognize when it was finished. Actually, I've never finished anything, much to my family's relief.

Oh crikey, I looked up the song Under Pressure on YouTube and there is NO way that is a beginning song!

I teach piano, and I have looked at some teacher and lesson websites that offer, "Learn to play your favorite song in only two lessons! Learn to read music in 15 minutes! Easy way and cheap pay and play!"

Um, no.

It takes years to really get to where you can transpose into different keys to "match" other instruments, and to sight read music, to develop a strong sense of rhythm, yet stay together, and so much more. And solo and ensemble playing are different skill sets, as is accompanying.

For example, just this evening, my 17 year old son who has made High School All State for trumpet for three years got it into his head that he wanted to play the BBC Sherlock Holmes music, but he did not like the key it was in. He transposed it on staff paper, and checked his work with me and a couple of videos of the music. It took maybe 30 minutes of concentrated work to be sure he had all the correct intervals and accidentals, and then he added a few bits for fun.

To be TOLD he was going to? Well, that would be met with strong resistance, no matter that he has the skills and knowledge and instruments.

I would rather have the matriarch suggest a group painting, where each person is given one portion of something to paint, and then all the pieces are put together into one masterpiece.